March 11, 2007

A bizarre EU rumour

Apparently, the European Parliament is about to open a new embassy to the UK: a vast office in Tothill Street, Westminster, employing 50 or more staff. The rent alone is said to be £1.3 million a year.

"Embassy" is surely a misnomer. It's rather as if the UK House of Commons announced it was going to open an "embassy" in (say) Manchester.

I wouldn't greatly mind, but it's my money. And will London be the only "embassy"? There are plenty more capitals to provide berths for these puffed up people. Multiply up the cost of setting up and running an "embassy" by the number of capitals, and it becomes pretty substantial.

Eurosceptics like to claim from time to time that the EU is drinking in the last chance saloon. This is wishful thinking. I don't see Nigel Farage there either - he's drinking elsewhere.